2016: Biking over 4,000 miles down the Natchez Trace Parkway (Again), and then from Seattle, WA to Washington D.C. (Again), for The Fuller Center for Affordable Housing. Stopping numerous times along the way to help build affordable houses.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Sunday all the FCBAers enjoyed a day off. It’s always great to break the routine every week, worship at church, and enjoy that ‘day of rest’ as we get ready to continue the journey Monday morning.

As the weeks go by some riders leave, new riders join for a day, or for a week, or for the remaining weeks (five weeks left in the adventure). At the team meeting on Sunday nights as we sit in a circle and share who we are and something about why we participate in the bike adventure I’m always amazed and delighted at the depth of the responses. Some are funny, some are heart rending, but all are amazing. Also, each rider is assigned a day to blog for the Fuller Bike Adventure website, and those blogs are truly inspiring (http://www.fullercenter.org/blogs/bikeadventure .

Then, Monday morning, we’re on the road again, as we bike to our next destination where yet another host church opens their doors to us and we again set up our bikes and sleeping areas in whatever spaces we can find.

A tough day yesterday, 96 miles, with climbing and a 20-30 MPH head wind or cross wind. We are in charge of the last rest stop, waiting for all riders to pass through, while the van and trailer head to the church to unload. Rider after rider came in with tongue hanging out, saying they would have been ready to quit as they came over the hill if the support van had not been in sight!!

Another tough day today, scheduled for 103 miles. As we start out, winds are calm, but the bikers face almost 4,000 feet of climbing; nothing that looks steep or long, but still 4,000 feet. We were fueled by as much spaghetti and meat balls as we could eat last night, with another great host church, Assembly of God in Winner, SD.